Flemington, NJ, October 5, 2010 – Results of a national study among 1,022 Americans revealed that respondents expressed significantly different views of a woman wearing a shawl or hijab, and the same woman without the traditional headwear.

The study was conducted by HCD Research and reported on their mediacurves.com website during October 1-4, to determine whether Americans express different views of a woman based on whether or not she is wearing traditional Muslim headwear. To view detailed results of the study, go to: www.mediacurves.com

Participants were divided into two randomly assigned groups.  Members of each group were asked to view one of two separate photos of an attractive young woman. Neither photo was identified in any way.  Each group was then asked identical questions about the woman, her age, perceived personality, activities, and how acceptable she might be as a neighbor.

More than one-third of participants (38%) indicated that they would rather have the woman with the traditional headwear live in another place, another city, and maybe out of the U.S, as opposed to living in their neighborhood.  However, a clear majority of participants (83%) reported that the woman without the shawl would be welcome in their neighborhood.

The woman wearing the shawl was viewed as much wealthier than the woman without the shawl. However, participants indicated that the woman with the shawl was less educated than the woman without the shawl. The woman with the shawl was also viewed as a person who “always sticks to a tight circle” and is heterosexual.  Conversely, the woman without the shawl was perceived as someone who “helps other people” and always looks at the bright side.   

In addition, participants specifically identified the woman with the shawl on her head as Middle-Eastern in origin and a Muslim. The woman without the shawl was perceived to be an American and a Catholic or maybe Protestant or Jewish. 

Editors/Reporters: For more information on the study, or to speak with Glenn Kessler, president and CEO, HCD Research, please contact Vince McGourty, HCD Research, at (908) 483-9121 or (vince.mcgourty@hcdi.net). You can also receive updates from MediaCurves.com by following us on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/mediacurves and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Flemington-NJ/MediaCurves/86691908820

 HCD Research is a marketing and communications research company headquartered in Flemington, NJ.  The company's services include traditional and web-based research.  For additional information on HCD Research, access the company’s web site at www.hcdi.net or call HCD Research at 908-788-9393.  MediaCurves.com® (www.mediacurves.com) is a media measurement website that provides the media and general public with a venue to view Americans’ perceptions of popular and controversial media events and advertisements